The most biodiverse place on earth

Manu Wildlife Highlights Jan '13

Rarely spotted the tamandua is a type of anteater that is partially arboreal, spending much of their time climbing trees with the aid of a prehensile tail and long claws. If threatened it will use it’s powerful forelimbs to attack, leaving it’s back limbs and tail to hold it in the tree.

Fer-de-lance

This is a highly venomous viper species, if bitten rapid treatment is essential and those who do recover can sometimes permanently lose their short term memory.

Squirrel Monkey

Male squirrel monkeys are all colour blind, but because the genes that are responsible for colour sensitivity are found in the x chromosome, most of the females are not.

Amazonian Coral Snake

Despite being venomous most coral snakes are shy and very few bites are recorded each year. Some non-venomous snakes mimic the colouring of coral snakes as a way of warding off predators.

Twist-necked Turtle

The twist necked turtle gets it’s name from the way it twists it’s head sideways into it’s shell when threatened.It also has a very flat shell which allows it to hide under rocks.

Tapir

Despite being a terrestrial animal tapirs will often go swimming in rivers or ponds, even letting themselves sink so they can feed from the river bed. They are herbivores and eat mostly fruit, berries and young tender leaves.

Capybara

Capybara are the largest rodents in the world with an adult weighing between 35 and 65kg. They are semi-aquatic and spend much of their time in the water.

Saddleback Tamarins

Tamarins are the smallest monkey species to be found in Manu, weighing under 400g. They live in family groups with one breeding female, who will usually give birth to twins that are then raised by the rest of the group.

Woolly Monkey

The IUCN now list the peruvian woolly monkey as an endangered species along with many other types of woolly monkey. Their decline is linked to hunting by humans for both food and the pet trade.

Brown Capuchin Monkey

Capuchin monkeys have a varied diet but they enjoy eating nuts so much that they have learnt to use stones as tools to open their tough shells, hammering them until they crack.

Smooth-fronted Caiman

The second smallest member of the alligator family this caiman is native to the amazon basin, it hunts both in water and on land.

Yellow-footed Tortoise

This species is the third largest mainland tortoise on earth and fifth largest overall. Unfortunately there are also endangered as they are often caught for food.

Brown Titi Monkey

With long soft fur these monkeys almost look like wild teddy bears, they mate for life and the father is often the primary carer for any young.